Tuesday, October 21, 2008

An Employer's Perspective on Job Search Plans

As the person managing human resources for a multi-unit hospitality operation that includes the prestigious Stephanie Inn, rated as an AAA Four-Diamond hotel property on the spectacular Oregon Coast, Tamara provides a unique perspective of applicants:

Last week, Dawn blogged about creating a job search plan, and from my view, it is very easy to spot those applicants who have no plan at all. They show up in our reception area and tell our receptionist they are “looking for anything.”

My first reaction is this: They have no plan. They are desperate.

A well thought-out job search plan will create the confidence an employer wants to see from applicants - show me that you know your stuff. Rather than hearing that someone in the hotel lobby just wants any job, I want to see them demonstrate that they know what positions we have to offer, and have a background on our company. Have they done their homework about Martin Hospitality? Have they been to our website and seen the jobs we currently have posted? If so, I know that they have put some thought into their job search. The applicant knows what our business is all about, and is applying for a specific position open on our website.

As an example, I attend a large culinary career fair four times each year, and through this exposure, students see our company name regularly. As they approach their externship time, they will approach me asking for a restaurant externship. The students who take the time to find out about our dining and eating establishments have worked on their job search plan. They have researched us and what we offer, and because they have taken that initiative, these are the applicants I want to talk to.

Be confident and be knowledgeable- that will give you a huge boost of confidence that employers will notice!

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Dawn Rasmussen

As the Chief Résumé Designer and President of Pathfinder Writing and Career Services, every day I count myself fortunate to be working with so many interesting clients from around the U.S. and Canada. The best reward: empowering people to manage their careers proactively, consciously, and positively. As a frequent professional convention speaker on career management topics, I love energizing attendees with presentations all aspects of career development.

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